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<p>High-quality professional development is important for teachers and leaders at
all stages of their careers to ensure they receive appropriate support and to enable
them to constantly improve their practice. Decisions relating to teachers’ professional
development rightly rest with schools, headteachers and teachers themselves as they
are in the best position to judge their own requirements. We recommend that all Continuous
Professional Development is underpinned by the 'Standard for teachers' professional
development'.</p><p>I also refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend,
the Minister of State for School Standards, gave on 4 November to questions 7039,
7040, 7041, 7042 and 7632. These answers emphasised the department’s commitment to
supporting schools and colleges in promoting good mental wellbeing, providing a supportive
environment for pupils experiencing problems and secure access to more specialist
help for those who need it, which can be especially important for children who have
experienced trauma.</p><p>These answers given by my right hon. Friend, the Minister
of State for School Standards, referred to the fact that, in November 2018, the department
updated its advice on mental health and behaviour in schools. This advice directs
schools towards information on how trauma and adverse childhood experiences, such
as bereavement, can affect individual children. The advice also explains how schools
can adapt their approach to support these pupils within the context of a school environment
that sets clear expectations of behaviour and clear routines.</p><p>Schools also need
to be able to have access to specialist mental health support where pupils need it.
We are taking forward the proposals set out in our Green Paper ‘Transforming Children
and Young People’s Mental Health Provision’. There are 3 core commitments that are
intended to support local areas to support children and young people’s mental health
as quickly as possible.</p><p>The commitments will incentivise all schools and colleges
to identify and train a Senior Mental Health Lead; to fund new Mental Health Support
Teams (which will be supervised by NHS Children and Young People’s Mental Health staff)
and the piloting of a 4-week waiting time for access to specialist NHS children and
young people’s mental health services.</p><p>As part of the Green Paper proposals,
the government also committed to provide mental health awareness training for a member
of staff from all state-funded secondary schools in England by March 2020. This programme
is funded and managed by the Department of Health and Social Care. The Green Paper
can be accessed via this link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper</a>.</p><p>The
department works closely with the cross-government Victims of Terrorism Unit to ensure
the guidance they provide is accurate and includes the most relevant, up to date material,
including material from the Department for Health in relation to mental health support.
The Victims of Terrorism guidance also includes resources for teachers to use in the
immediate aftermath of a terrorist incident.</p>
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